councillors aim to slap a booze ban on their own town centre market following the latest police moves to crack down on drunkenness and anti-social behaviour.

Dartmouth councillors have said they do not want Dart Music Festival operating a bar in the town centre market next year – even though the festival organisers have not actually asked for one.

Town councillor Dave Cawley pointed to the recent meeting between police and publicans following concerns over violence at this year's Dartmouth regatta.

And he declared: 'I would be very happy for the music festival to hire the market but they should be told they cannot have a bar in it.

'There are 13 bars in the town and that is quite enough. It is not necessary to have an excess of alcohol to enjoy any of the festivals.

'We have to say no to a bar.

'That's my very strong view on behalf of the people of Dartmouth and the town generally.'

Cllr Cawley was speaking as the town's corporate property committee councillors met to look at the music festival's latest application to use the market complex as a venue for next year's festival line up of musical events.

Last year the festival operated a bar from the market complex as part of three-day festival.

But councillors are now recommending that this does not happen again next year.

Cllr Cawley said the town council should have a policy of no excessive drinking or anti-social behaviour on the streets of Dartmouth – 'which is why we are saying no bar'.

His comments follow criticisms of this year's regatta which saw a number of violent incidents which marred the popular event.

Police have met licensees and ferry operators to look at ways of ensuring that does not happen again – including the targeting of drunks before they event get to the town.

'We should be discouraging drinking on the street,' Cllr Cawley said as he claimed the arrests during the regatta were the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Music festival treasurer Di Lyon had written to the town councillors asking for the use of the market during next year's event.

She told them: 'As a community based organisation we feel it is very important to include as many people, venues, and music as possible and to exclude the Market Square from our plans would be extremely unfair to the shops and businesses that are there,

'To do this would, we think, cause some division and could reflect badly on what we feel is a very happy and inclusive event.'

The councillors are recommending the festival can hire the square at the going rate of £300 for the weekend.